ダラスの新しいファーマーズ・マーケット

ダラスに新しいファーマーズ・マーケットがオープンするというので、日本人会の秋祭りに行く前に立ち寄ってみた。　The Vickery Meadow Local Marketというらしい。場所は75とNW Hwyの東側にあるHalf Price Book Storeのパーキング。

フード・トラックがあったり、黙々と手編みしながら店番をする人がいたりと、Lower GreenvilleやWhite Rock Lakeに近い場所柄からか、雰囲気がちょっとオースティンぽくって楽しい。

"Where soap meets art!" というキャッチフレーズを持つお目当ての手作りソープ屋さん Dallas Soap Company を見つけていくつか購入。 使うのがちょっともったいないくらいかわいい。


普通オンラインでしか売ってないので、友達用に買う前に、目で見て、手に取ってみて、匂いを嗅いでみたかったのよね。お店のオーナーに質問もできたし、満足。

お祭りで友達と会う約束をしていたので、急いでマーケットを出ようとして気づいたのが、テントから吊るされたプラントのお店。

"These are called Koke-dama." と声をかけられ、予想してなかったのと発音が微妙で、「あ〜、苔玉」と気づくのに2秒位かかった。白いシャツを着たオーナーのパティーさんは日系二世の方。趣味で始めたのをサイドビジネスに格上げ中とか。

私は、床に物をできるだけ置きたくないので、こうやって天井や壁から吊るせるのは大好きだ。今回は選ぶ暇がなくてパスしたけれど、この次は何か一つ買ってみようかな。

DFW Solar Tour - Saturday, October 4 (free and public event)

Another solar energy project I've been helping is "DFW Solar Tour". - 13 solar houses in Plano (among 130 with solar) will be open. - Roughly 50 locations in DFW, some with EV (Tesla included), will participate.  Interested in solar and energy efficiency? Come and learn. Here is more details from the organizer NTREG. (Their earlier email brust includes the photo I'm in...I didn't know that but cool.) What is the DFW Solar Tour? The DFW Solar Tour is a one-day event on Saturday, October 4 timed to coincide with the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour, the largest all-volunteer solar event in the nation.  The tour's purpose is to demonstrate how homeowners and businesses  are using solar, wind, passive solar design, and energy efficiency to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and reduce utility bills. Tour Hours:  Generally speaking, tour hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but times may vary at the discretion of the tour host. The DFW Solar Tour is free of charge. Solar Tour Etiquette Visitors are guests, please be courteous and polite. Tour hours are generally 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please don't arrive early or late. Remember, tour hours may vary at some sites so it is important to check the individual tour host page on the DFW Solar Tour website to confirm visiting hours before you get started. There are no public restroom facilities at tour sites. Practice the Golden Rule and everything will work out great. visit our website

The ASES National Solar Tour is the world's largest grassroots solar event. This event offers you the opportunity to tour innovative green homes and buildings to see how you can use solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies to reduce monthly utility bills and help tackle climate change. More than 165,000 participants will visit some 5,500 buildings in 3,200 communities across the U.S.

#DFWsolartour, #NTREG, #TexasEV, #Renko, #Tesla

Solar PV on my roof

I came home and found solar PV panels on my roof! I was not fully expecting the installer, Axium Solar, to be back today because Plano Balloon Festival limited the access to our neighborhood.

They are beautiful. I am excited. Once all the wiring is done and the final permit is issued, these panels should start producing and cover roughly 65% of our current annual electricity consumption.

I am all in to promote renewable/clean energy and energy efficiency.

Although my system is small (4.25 kW DC), I feel great to personally contribute to distributed sustainable energy production.

Through "Solarize Plano Project", so far we have helped about 40 households, including mine, in Plano to install solar PV systems at discount.

I am also helping to organize DFW Solar Tour coming on October 4th. And being the first solar house in our neighborhood, I am hoping to inspire others to follow. I know, before long, solar and other renewable energy will become norm.
http://www.magisto.com/video/O0QGNEYVAC0oUEdpYw

Kei Nishikori, one man one name

Mike Groll/AP- From NPR website

I am Japanese and I like tennis. So, naturally I am elated Kei Nishikori is advancing to US Open final. Coached by Michael Chang, another great Asian player, he is the first Asian man to reach that level.

I've read somewhere that his parents wanted Kei to be a citizen of the world, and named him “Kei” which is easy to pronounce and can be used globally.

That resonates with my own wish and thinking for my children. I knew I wanted to give “one” name to my child that he/she could use anywhere and anytime as it is. No switching back and forth between say American name and Japanese name. No changing from childhood name to adult name. No confusion for which nickname to use and what real name is...One name that represents who he/she is no matter what.

Kei seems very comfortable in his own skin. His confidence radiates. I am sure that comes from knowing what he wants and more importantly knowing who he is. I am so looking forward to watching how he plays and carries himself through the grand final on coming Monday.

巣立ったあと

この夏は、どこも涼しい所に出かけなかった。コロラドのロッキーも見ずじまいでレイバーデイ。旅行したいウズウズが溜まりそうだったので、思い立ってDallas Arboretum に出かけた。

残暑厳しいし、花はそれほど咲いていないだろうと思っていたら、涼しげに水に浮かぶ睡蓮の池がある。傍に足を止めて、しばらく見とれていた。

White Rock Lakeが見渡せる高台の、大きなピーカンの樹の下でベンチに腰掛けていると、近くでキャッキャッと楽しそうな声。お父さんが芝の上で赤ちゃんとグルグル転がって遊んでる。そのまわりをお兄ちゃんが走り回って楽しそう。ふと、うちの子たちもあんなに嬉しそうに笑ってたな〜と思ったら、涙ぐんでしまった。

子育ても精一杯やれて何も後悔はない。今は、3人共自力で道を開拓し始めてる時なので、前にも増して、自分からあまり電話かけたりしないようにしてるのだけれど、こんなことでしんみりなるなんてちょっと我慢しすぎなかな。